Elements in

landscape
Landform
Water
Plant material
Hardscape
Art
Landform
• Form of earth’s surface
• part of the terrain
• typically an element of topography
Character of
Landforms are
• categorised by physical
attributes such as
– elevation
– slope
– orientation
– stratification
– rock exposure
– soil type

• Landforms do not include

man-made features, such
as canals, ports and
many harbors; and
geographic features, such
as deserts,forests, grassla
nds, and impact craters.
• The landform develops due to ecological,
cultural technological forces acting upon
them.
• The severity of the forces, resistance of the
surface and relative time for which these
forces operate influence the form.
Factors affecting
landform
• plate tectonics
• erosion
• deposition can generate
and affect landforms.
• Biological factors can also
influence landforms for
example, the role
of vegetation in the
development
of dune systems
and corals and algae in the
formation of coral reefs.
Understanding the landform is
important because
– use to which land is put and
– maintenance of land would depend
on topography
Depiction of Landform
• Hachures
• Contours
• Spot elevations
Hachures
•Lines drawn perpendicular to the slope
•Length indicates length of the slope
•Closeness of lines indicate steepness of slope
•Hachure lines usually evenly spaced
• Landforms
are generally
depicted by
the terrain.
• The slopes
are indicated
by the
contours
Contours
• The amount of incline of a
surface is referred to as
the slope
• Slopes are quantified
according to two systems
• The ratio method
describing slope steepness
as the ratio of horizontal
dimension to vertical
elevation difference as
1:3, 1:4
• By convention the second
number is always the
vertical difference
reduced to a factor of 1
• The percentage method
describes slopes as
percentage determined
by dividing the
difference in vertical
elevation by the
horizontal distance and
then converting this
decimal to percentage.
Site slopes have major implication on the
allowable land uses, densities and impact
subsequent to development
Slopes < 1% Very flat Cannot be drained
unless paved
carefully
Slopes < 4% Flat All kinds of intense
activity
Slopes 4%-8% Easy grades Informal movement
and activity
Slopes > 10% Effort to climb and Has bearing on
descend drainage, erosion &
maintenance
Slope > 50-60% Very steep slopes Cannot be
protected from
erosion except by
terracing / cribbing
The ground form

•Limits or facilitates circulation- by

determining the gradients of roadways,
walkways. Roads should generally be at
slopes < 10%
•Flow of utilities- sewers, water supply
•Achieve drainage of the site
•grading and stabilising the slopes
Grading refers to
modification of
existing landform.
Grading is
performed to
achieve drainage, Cut and fill shown on
topographic
enable water flow
from buildings,
create visual effects,
enable locating
buildings of
buildings
• Grading should be a response to program,
design and context.
Methods of retaining slopes

Retaining wall
Earth Berm

Step up Retaining wall

Geo Textile
Jencks' Life Mounds at Jupiter Artland, near Edinburgh

Landform in design
Jencks' Landform at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Landform as a line
• Perceptual effect of a landform-
affected by the character of line it
imparts to the landscape
Angular
form
imparts
energy and
boldness

Sinuous form evokes

softness and passivity
 When landforms
Architectonic landform fail to attain their
Landform as straight lines and sharp integrity, they will
corners be overpowered
Landscape is more structured and this by architecture
integrates with the architecture of the site

Naturalistic landform
Undulating lines, no corners
Landform as
enclosure
Landform contributes
to degree of enclosure
and spatial
characteristic of the
place

Flat level landscapes-

feeling of
expansiveness.
Depending on the
requirement of the
landscape, the
designer has to
supplement it with
other elements.
Landforms with steep, marked
gradients can enclose space.

The enclosure is a factor of

height of the form and the
vertical position of the observer
in relation to that of the form.

The space enclosed that can be

viewed is called the viewshed.

As the spacing of the visual

edge increases, the viewshed
enlarges and the landscape
becomes more expanive.

As the dimension decreases,

the space becomes smaller –
psychologically sheltered and
more private
The landform
affects the
suitability of
site for
development.

Increase in
the site slope
has a stronger
implication on
the design

Landscape Grain
Introduction to landscape design By John
L. Motloch
Ridge lines are
visually open
zones-
expansive.
They offer
views and can
also be viewed

Development
on the ridge
line has a
severe visual
impact.
Development Ridgelines and military crests
in the Military
crest has
reduced visual
impact
Microclimate modification
• Reading the landscape
• Pattern recognition is the developed ability to
read the landscape and understand its elements
and forces.
• The natural form of a place is the
interrelationship among the preceding ecological
forces, materials of the place and time.
• A place in “the true sense of word…has a distinct
character”-Norberg Schulz
• Ecological processes operating over time provide
distinctive character.
Introduction to landscape design
By John L. Motloch